Smooth, plush velvet is frequently used in furniture, personal apparel, and other textile applications. Due to how expensive it used to be to create velvet textiles, this material is sometimes connected to nobility. Even if the majority of contemporary velvet is produced from cheap velvet materials, this particular fabric is still among the most supple and elegant man-made textiles ever created.
How is velvet fabric made?
Although velvet can be made from a variety of fabrics, the method is the same no matter what type of base fabric is used. Only a special kind of loom that concurrently spins two layers of fabric may be used to weave velvet. Following their separation, these fabric layers are wound up on rolls.
Although velvet and velveteen are produced using different types of yarn (vertical for velvet and horizontal for velveteen), the procedures used to create each fabric are substantially the same. However, velveteen is frequently blended with regular cotton yarn, which degrades its quality and alters its texture.
Silk is one of the most popular velvet materials, which is created by tearing open the cocoons of silkworms and spinning the resulting threads into yarn. Petrochemicals are converted into filaments, which are then used to create synthetic textiles like rayon. Depending on the desired use, one of these yarn varieties can be colored or treated after being woven into velvet fabric.
If you live in the US, you may purchase a large selection of velvet fabric by the yard here and here, respectively.
7 Different Types of Velvet
Velvet can be woven from a wide range of materials using a wide range of techniques, leading to the existence of numerous different types of velvet fabrics.
Crushed velvet. Crushed velvet fabric, as the name implies, has a "crushed" appearance that is created by twisting the material while wet or by pressing the pile in various directions. Shiny and patterned in appearance, the substance has a distinctive feel.
Velvet in panne. Panne velvet is a variety of crushed velvet in which the cloth is subjected to intense pressure in order to move the pile in one direction. A similar pattern can be seen in knit textiles like velour, which is not actually velvet and is typically made of polyester.
Embossed velvet. A heat stamp is used to apply pressure to velvet, pushing down the piles to produce a pattern and producing embossed velvet, a printed fabric. Upholstery velvet, which is utilized in home design and decor, frequently uses embossed velvet.
Ciselé. Some looped threads are cut, while others are left uncut, to produce this particular pattern in the velvet.
Plain velvet. Cotton velvet is most often plain velvet. It lacks the luster of silk or synthetic fiber-based velvet and is quite heavy with little give.
Stretch velvet. Stretch velvet includes spandex woven into the fabric, increasing the fabric's flexibility and stretchability.
Pile-on-pile velvet. This particular velvet has piles that are different lengths and makes a pattern. This sort of velvet is typically found in upholstery fabric.
How is velvet fabric used?
Velvet's softness, which is its most prized quality, makes it the material of choice for fabrics that are worn close to the skin. Velvet is frequently utilized in home design in items like drapes and throw cushions because it has a distinct visual charm. Velvet offers a multi-sensory home design experience since it feels as good as it looks, unlike some other items of interior décor.
Velvet is sometimes used in beds because of how velvety the fabric is. This material is frequently used, in particular, in insulating blankets that are positioned between sheets and duvets. Velvet is significantly more common in womenswear than in males, and it's frequently utilized to highlight female contours and design exquisite evening apparel. Velvet is a common material for glove linings and is used to construct some stiff velvet hats.
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